Zhang Daqi’s hands gripped the straw tightly, the bulging veins on his back clearly visible.

He kept making “uh uh uh” sounds from his mouth.

Extremely agitated.

Ji Yunshu was somewhat caught off guard.

Yu Shaoqing outside saw this and quickly asked through the wooden posts, “Master Ji, what’s happening?”

Ji Yunshu shook her head.

She didn’t know either.

Perhaps… something had been touched upon, which made Zhang Daqi so tense.

Because the commotion was quite loud, it attracted the attention of the jailers outside, who were hurrying over in their direction.

The footsteps grew closer and closer…

Yu Shaoqing rushed into the cell, worried, “Master Ji, there’s no time left.”

A reminder!

Ji Yunshu pursed her lips, her breathing becoming rapid as well.

In this current situation, they probably wouldn’t be able to get anything out of him.

She hurriedly pulled out a medicine bottle from her sleeve and quickly pressed it under Zhang Daqi’s body.

She instructed, “This is wound medicine. When no one’s paying attention, apply it to your wounds yourself. Rest assured, if you truly didn’t kill anyone, I will definitely find a way to save you, but you must preserve this life of yours no matter what.”

“Uh!”

Zhang Daqi’s entire body tensed up.

Seeing that the jailers were about to arrive, Yu Shaoqing pulled her up and concealed her behind him.

“What’s happening?”

The two jailers who rushed over asked anxiously.

Both were worried the serious criminal had died in the prison.

Yu Shaoqing coughed very calmly and said with a stern face, “Nothing much, just that when this official was questioning him, the criminal became somewhat agitated, that’s all.”

The two jailers looked at Zhang Daqi lying on the ground, seeing him so agitated that his limbs flailed tightly, his eyes staring blankly, his blood-filled mouth opening and closing.

They were puzzled.

But they still believed Yu Shaoqing’s words.

“If your lordship has finished questioning, please leave quickly, otherwise… if something happens, this humble one cannot bear the responsibility.”

“Fine, this official won’t make things difficult for you. After all, everything that needed to be asked has been asked.”

Thus, Yu Shaoqing swept his sleeve and led Ji Yunshu out of the cell.

The jailer also quickly locked the door.

Finally relieved.

Before leaving, Yu Shaoqing instructed, “There’s no need to disturb Lord Li about this official’s visit to the prison this time, understand?”

The jailer responded, “Yes, yes, yes.”

They also found it troublesome.

Of course they agreed quickly!

Ji Yunshu kept her head lowered, following Yu Shaoqing as they left.

But—

Just as she passed by that jailer, the jailer felt something was strange, standing there thinking about it, until the jailer beside him bumped into him.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Did you notice that the person beside Lord Yu seemed somewhat strange?”

“Strange? What’s strange? You’re probably overthinking it.”

He shook his head, said nothing more, and followed them out.

Outside the Ministry of Justice prison, Jingrong’s carriage was waiting.

The two boarded the carriage, and Jingrong immediately ordered people to leave quickly.

On the road.

“Did you find out anything?” Jingrong asked.

Ji Yunshu furrowed her brow, “He didn’t kill the person, but when the murderer committed the crime, he was at the scene.”

Uh!

“And then?”

“When I asked whether that person was from Zhang Family Village, he became very agitated, even looking pained, as if… he had unspeakable difficulties, deliberately concealing something.”

Jingrong: “Concealing? Why conceal? Concealing for whom?”

“I don’t know.”

Yu Shaoqing interjected, “Master Ji, right now there’s no evidence at all to prove Zhang Daqi isn’t the murderer, but the execution is scheduled for tomorrow. What should we do?”

“Since the murderer isn’t him, we can’t let him die unjustly.”

Jingrong said with a somber face: “But we have no evidence.”

Exactly!

No evidence.

Worrying!

In such a short time, there was simply no way to find new evidence.

After returning to the Rong Prince’s Manor, Ji Yunshu remained silent the whole time, sitting motionlessly in the courtyard.

Until evening.

The maids had tried to persuade her several times, delivering cup after cup of hot tea, but even as they gradually cooled, Ji Yunshu never touched them.

When Jingrong arrived, he saw her sitting alone in the courtyard.

The maids quickly said, “Your Highness, Master has been like this all afternoon, not eating anything, not drinking water either.”

Without a word, Jingrong took the cup of tea that had just been filled.

He instructed, “You may all withdraw.”

“Yes.”

He carried the cup of tea over and sat down opposite Ji Yunshu, placing the tea by her hand, saying, “The weather is so cold, drink some hot tea to warm yourself.”

But she still looked heavily preoccupied.

The next moment, Jingrong grasped her ice-cold hand and said, “Yunshu, you’ve already done your best. This prince knows you have many questions in your heart and firmly believe Zhang Daqi isn’t the murderer, but the case has already been decided, you and I cannot change it.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yunshu…”

“Are we supposed to send someone to the execution platform even when we clearly know they’re innocent?”

“You’re so convinced he’s not the murderer.”

“Yes.” She was very certain, gripping Jingrong’s hand in return, “This case has too many gaps. If we determine the murderer without investigating thoroughly, that’s treating human life with contempt.”

“This prince understands the thoughts in your heart and is equally anxious. When we returned, I already sent people to Zhang Family Village to see if they could find any clues from where Zhang Daqi lived. If there’s any news, it will be delivered soon.” He pushed the teacup forward, “First drink some water.”

She nodded.

Her fingers had just touched the cup.

Too hot!

So much so that the cup immediately fell to the ground with a “bang,” shattering into pieces.

Just at the moment it shattered, a ray of light suddenly flashed through her eyes…

Stabbing so that her eyes instinctively looked away, closing tightly.

Jingrong was very nervous, “Are you alright?”

She shook her head.

Then looking at the broken cup on the ground, a scene suddenly flashed through her mind.

Uh!

She seemed to understand something.

After contemplating for a moment…

“I know now, I know how the murderer moved that great Buddha statue, and I also know… who the murderer is!”

Hmm?

Jingrong didn’t understand.

She smiled with joy, tightly gripping Jingrong’s hand, “Actually, the base of the great Buddha… is completely hollow.”

“Hollow?”

“As long as we piece together the shattered pieces of the Buddha’s base, we’ll know whether it is or isn’t.”

Hmm?

Ji Yunshu quickly called for Lang Bo and gave him some instructions.

Lang Bo was astonished and quickly went to handle it.

The quiet night grew colder and colder…

Yuhua Pavilion.

Muruo had been feeling anxious and restless these past two days, unable to sleep well at night.

Now that it was already dark, he lit a lamp and hung it on the corner eave outside the pavilion, as if waiting for someone.

Sometimes looking at the street, sometimes looking in the direction of the stairs to the pavilion.

Back and forth many times.

The young apprentice had been watching the whole time. While bringing up the dried medicinal herbs, he said, “Master, you should rest early. It’s already so late, Mistress probably won’t come back.”

Bah!

Muruo glared at him, “What nonsense are you talking about? Who’s waiting for her?”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? To wait for Mistress, Master has lit a lamp and hung it on the corner eave for the past two nights. If it were any other time, once the lights in the house went out, Master, you probably wouldn’t even light one.”

Teasing!